Oh, Canada. You sure are making it hard for us to hold our heads up high these days.

The latest international embarrassment was Canada's cringe-worthy performance at the Commonwealth summit in Uganda on the weekend.

Every country in the Commonwealth had agreed to a draft climate-change agreement, which called on developed countries to meet greenhouse gas targets. But not Canada! No, we decided to stand up and block the agreement.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper refused to sign the agreement unless it was watered down to remove any reference to "binding targets" on greenhouse gas emissions.

At Canada's insistence, the deal was changed. The word "binding" disappeared from the agreement and it now calls for "a long-term aspirational global goal for emissions reductions to which all countries would contribute."

An aspirational goal? What does that mean? Is aspirational even a real word? Or is it just government-speak for more inaction on climate change?

It's getting harder and harder to call ourselves proud Canadians these days. Let's hope Canada's performance in Uganda isn't a warm-up act for the main show in Bali next week.